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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24271786">how</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/giddylester/pseuds/giddylester'>giddylester</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>little stories [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression, Cuddling &amp; Snuggling, Daddy Harry Potter, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Little Draco Malfoy, M/M, Nightmares, Post-War, ddlb</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:07:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,253</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24271786</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/giddylester/pseuds/giddylester</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>How the whole ddlb thing came about because someone asked! Draco can't handle the struggles of the world and unconsciously finds an escape. Luckily, Harry is more than happy to help.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>little stories [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752073</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>169</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>how</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>i threw off writing this because i preferred reading to writing but uh here we are now!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Harry had offered Draco to stay at his place. Draco, having no where to go, accepted. This happened after Harry had testified for Draco and he was released. Draco’s mum fled to France and his dad was locked up in a cell in Askaban. </p><p>Outside the courtroom, Harry proffered his hand to Draco so he could apparate them to his house. Draco's heart was still thudding in his chest from the fear of getting thrown into Askaban with his father. Draco looked up at Harry's green eyes. Yes, it was <em>Harry</em> now. Draco took his hand and felt the semi-familiar pull of an apparation. </p><p>They landed in the middle of a deserted neighbourhood, between a 11 Grimmauld Place and a 13 Grimmauld Place. Draco frowned at the missing 12 Grimmauld Place. Harry smirked at the confused expression on Draco's face. Suddenly, a door appeared, then a whole house seemed to squeeze in between the two houses between it. Harry grabbed Draco's hand gently and led him up the worn front steps, pulling out his wand. He waved his wand in front of the battered door and they heard a soft click of the door being unlocked. The door swung open and screams could be heard. </p><p>Draco stepped into the hallway and the screeching stopped. </p><p>"A Malfoy?" a shrill voice said. </p><p>"A pure-blood! Oh, thank Merlin!"</p><p>Draco looked at the portraits lining the hallway. His aunt Walburga was looking at him from a massive portrait. Draco smiled nervously as a house-elf popped up. </p><p>"Ah, Master Potter is finally mixing with the right sort," the house-elf commented, looking Draco up and down.</p><p>"I think he can figure out the right sort for himself," Draco mumbled under his breath, cheeks burning.</p><p>Harry gave him an amused grin, squeezing Draco's hand slightly before dropping it.</p><p>"Have you prepared dinner, Kreacher?" Harry said in a slightly authoritative tone, making Draco blush deeper, "I'm sure Mister Malfoy here is starving."</p><p>Kreacher snarled at Harry before disapparating. Harry huffed and looked at Draco. </p><p>"Your room is up here," Harry led Draco up the stairs, past more paintings and...severed heads?</p><p>The decor in the house was mostly filled with a varying amount of snakes and serpents, giving Draco bad memories of the giant snake companion of the Dark Lord. Harry led him to a room not far from the staircase. </p><p>"My room is just across from this, so," Harry rubbed the back of his neck nervously.</p><p>Draco nodded and gave Harry a smile.</p><p>"Master, I have finished making dinner," Kreacher popped up.</p><p>***</p><p>Harry intended to let Draco stay here until he found a job and got enough money to move out. The ministry had burned down the Malfoy vault in Gringotts, afraid that there might be some leftover dark magic, leaving Draco penniless. </p><p>Draco was reading the job section in the prophet. He doubted anyone was going to hire him, but he didn't want to burden Harry anymore than he already was. Draco's brow creased as he couldn't find a job where he fit the requirements. Draco refused to do any hard labour and he never got around to finishing his N.E.W.T.S. Harry had obviously gotten a job as an auror so he didn't need to worry about money. Well, he also did have both the Potter vault and the Black vault.</p><p>Draco rubbed his eyes tiredly. He and Harry were sitting in the living room, a fire crackling beside Draco. </p><p>"You can go to sleep first, you're probably tired," Harry said softly.</p><p>Draco shook his head. He didn't want to sleep. When he closed his eyes he could see the events of the war play back. He could see the Dark Lord's evil grin, Crabbe turning to ashes in the room of requirement. Draco didn't want to sleep.</p><p>Harry nodded, as if he could read Draco's mind. As if he could understand Draco's fear of sleeping. </p><p>A while later, Draco checked the time. Harry had long gone to sleep, leaving Draco alone in the living room. Leaving Draco alone with his thoughts. </p><p>Draco let out a long yawn, his eyes bleary with exhaustion. He sighed. He couldn't escape sleep forever. He dragged himself up the stairs after extinguishing the fire. He changed into his night clothes, stumbling around the house to find the bathroom. After brushing his teeth with a spare toothbrush that Harry had laid out and placed a note on (like a nerd) saying that it was Draco's, he collapsed on the bed and pulled the sheets up to his chest. He tried pushing away the fear of Nagini snaking up from below his bed from his head. </p><p>He soon fell asleep.</p><p>It was dark and wet. The pattering of water against the cold, hard floor surrounded Draco. He looked around, heart thumping in his chest. Faint screaming could be heard through the walls that seemed to be closing around Draco. Light flickered at the end of the long hallway Draco appeared to be in. He slowly crept towards it, bare feet splashing in puddles. </p><p>As Draco neared the light, the screaming became louder. </p><p>"Please!" it was a woman's voice. "Please! Don't!"</p><p>There was a loud growl and a high screech. Then silence. </p><p>Draco could hear his heartbeat thudding in his ears. His steps faltered. There was a long table. At it's head sat the Dark Lord. </p><p>"Ah, Draco," his voice drawled, "You just missed the show."</p><p>Draco wanted to cry.</p><p>"Y-you're supposed t-to be d-dead," Draco's voice shook.</p><p>He laughed shrilly, the sound echoing around the empty room that Draco recognised to be the drawing room. The long table was empty now. All the death eaters that used to sit there either dead, in Askaban or in hiding. </p><p>Draco felt something slimy brush against his leg. He jumped away, looking down. Nagini smiled at him creepily. How a snake could smile, Draco didn't know. </p><p>"You've failed me, Draco," the Dark Lord said darkly.</p><p>Draco's head snapped up. </p><p>"Nagini?" the Dark Lord said before speaking swiftly in parseltongue. </p><p>There was a hiss and Draco felt a sharp pain spread from his leg. </p><p>He screamed, the pain was too much. He couldn't handle it. His eyes rolled back, throat sore from screaming but he didn't stop. The Dark Lord cackled in the background.</p><p>"Draco, Draco, Draco," Draco heard his name being repeated.</p><p>Draco's eyes shot open. Harry stood over him, brow creased with worry. Draco's cheeks were stained with tears, throat raw. The room was brightly lit, Dark Lord nowhere to be found. Draco let out a breath as another wave of tears streamed down his face. His heart hammered in his chest, as if it was going to jump out.</p><p>Harry's hands on Draco's shoulder squeezed him comfortingly. </p><p>"Are you okay?" Harry asked, biting his lip and looking into Draco's eyes.</p><p>Draco panted, bottom lip wobbling as he recounted the slowly fading memory of the dream. </p><p>"I-I w-wan' cuddles, p-please," Draco's words slurred. </p><p>Draco shook his head and frowned, cheeks tinted a faint red. </p><p>"I-if that'll make you feel better..." Harry said, climbing into Draco's bed cautiously. </p><p>Harry wrapped his arms around Draco, tangling his hand in Draco's hair. Draco whimpered softly. He wanted to tell Harry that this wasn't necessary, but his arms were warm as they tightened around Draco. Draco tucked his head in the crook of Harry's neck, listening to his heartbeats. Slowly, Draco felt himself drifting off to a dreamless sleep, in the strangely comforting embrace of Harry Potter.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This started to get a bit longer than intended so i decided to end it here. I'm sorry if this sucks, but I hope you enjoy this? I'll release a little fluffy oneshot later if I don't procrastinate writing it hehe.<br/>Anyways, leave a kudos if you want me to continue writing this because it would give me the motivation to do so and it would tell me that people are enjoying this! o(*￣▽￣*)o</p></blockquote></div></div>
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